The state could save $2 million when the Department of Social Services takes over a program that gives child care discounts to poor families, state agency directors said Monday.

The savings eventually might help families keep vouchers that they are now at risk of losing.

Families now receive child care vouchers from the Department of Health and Human Services, which manages the $112 million of mostly federal money used to provide discounts.

But DSS soon will begin managing the money, allowing the agency to better track who receives benefits and for how long, director Kim Aydlette said. The move will help reduce instances of people improperly receiving vouchers, for a potential savings of $2 million, she said.

In 44 other states, similar programs already are administered by state social service agencies, Aydlette said.

Gov. Mark Sanford signed an executive order Monday transferring administration of the funding from the health and human services agency to DSS. The move — which takes effect Dec. 17 — was one of many recommendations made in September by the governor’s Commission on Management, Accountability and Performance, created to reduce government waste.

“We’ve said all along that restructuring can and will provide cost savings and better delivery of services to the taxpayers of South Carolina,” Sanford said. “This is a perfect example of that happening at the Cabinet level.”

The move also will save the Health and Human Services Department about $250,000 each year now used to lease office space for the 75 workers who oversee the child care assistance program, agency directors said. Those 75 people will become DSS employees and work in DSS offices. None of the workers are expected to lose their jobs, agency directors said.

The savings could mean more money available each year for the Health and Human Services Department to fund Medicaid, the insurance program for the poor, elderly and disabled, director Robbie Kerr said.

DSS will use savings to cover a money shortfall in the voucher program. Aydlette hopes enough money eventually might be saved to keep some families from losing vouchers.

“We hope that we can start expanding again the number of people we share benefits with,” Aydlette said.